The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-10-13
Murder of Uncle Jack Hardnut.

Uncle Jack, as he was generally called,
was born and raised in Tipping county,
Georgia, eked out an existence there by
digging wells, splitting rails and drinking
whisky, until the day before his death.
When not employed he would hug the CHM
ney-corner of the village tavern har-room
and watch his chances; that is after man
took a drink of liquor and set the tumbler
down, with few drops left in the bottom
of it, Jack, with his eagle eye would notice
it and put the finishing touches to it. One
day, while Jack was the sole occupant of
the bar-room, the doctor of the vii
lage entered, and taking a tumbler
from beneath the counter, placed it on top,
poured some liquid out of bottle into it
and hurried out to the kitchen, without
perceiving Jack, who moved to the counter
with alacrity, smelled of the tumbler's con-
| tents, and the aroma being satisfactory
placed himself outside of it and hurried
with giant strides to, nobody knew where.
After the doctor returned with dipper of
hot water, { to make a decoction of some
sort for the lady of the house, who was
sick and found the contents of the tumbler
gone, he questioned every member of the
house, about its disappearance,
but they were ignorant of it,
must have drank it. If he did, said the
doctor he is as dead as a door nail now; it
was vitriol enough to kill six mules. A
search was Immediately instituted, but Jack
could not be found, although every citizen
of the village participated. The mill pond
was dragged, the creek, a mile above and
below was waded and carefully searched,
but without success. When the doctor
mentioned that Jack had dropped himself
to modify his burning sensation, every
well was pumped dry, at the end of which,
Jack turned up missing. For whole week,
there was but one question discussed
''Where can Uncle Jack have drowned
himself" About that time the doctor was
called to see patient eight miles from the
village and within a mile of the place, 10,
behold, there was Uncle Jack splitting rails
not far from the road. The doctor stopped,
called, and Jack fastened to him. After
shaking hands and exchanging ''how-dees, +"
the following dialogue took place:
Dr.-"Didn't you drink something very
strong at the tavern about a week agom
u. j. latter minutes study)-"Come to
think about it, did
Dr.-"Uncle Jack, that was enough
vitriol to kill dozen men,
u il always thought there was
something curious about that darned stuff;
everytime / blowed my nose, it burnt a hole
in my handkerchief"
The doctor, a puffy man, almost split his
more than ten minutes; when he got in
speaking condition again, he asked Jack
when he would come to the village,
and being told Friday evening, reached for
his medicine case and gave Jack a drink of
the genuine stuff, and left him enjoying the
effects of it. That man, said the doctor to
himself, will never die, unless he gets
killed.
As soon as the doctor returned to the vii
iage and told his story, like wildfire it
went all over the neighborhood. 1t was
agreed that Jack should have a grand re-
ception on his return. The doctor invited
all the NJ. D. in the county, for the purpose
of having consultation as to Jacks consti-
tuition, which they had, and after the most
careful examination, due consideration and
mature elaboration, it was decided that he
was fire and water proof, had acopper-lined
throat, a cast iron stomach and not one
tincture, known to the medical faculty,
could have the least serious effect on him.
Although this was the verdict of science,
fate willed it otherwise
A farmer in Aqua county (adjoining
Tippling) hired JACK to dig a we'll At first
he refused the job, because it was a prohi-
btion county, but when he was assured
that be could get all the whisky he wanted
he went it is well known that prohibition
is the cause of new industry, carried on
extensively in all dry countess that of
manufacturing a stuff nicknamed WHISKY"
but in reality the most rank, nasty poison
known. Stick your finger in it two and
half seconds and the nail drops Off.
When Jack arrived to dig the well
he took two drinks of this prohi-
bition whisky to steady his nerves,
which had been out Of order since his grand
reception. Instead Of the good effects he
expected, it killed him, as dead as picked
u1nc1yprel in less than three minutes after
the second drink 1t caused great gloom
in Tipping county. His friends had him
buried in style, placed nice tombstone
over his grave With this epitaph
JACK HARpNuT, AGED 81 YEARS.
Uncle Jack, so jolly and frisky
He was killed by prohibition whisky.
Let him .. L. u. SAM SLICK.